This invention generally relates to aerial cameras as may be used on aircraft and more specifically to an assembly for gravity stabilizing both the camera and its operator from aircraft motion tending to affect picture image quality.
The invention is particularly adapted to dirigibles or the like, wherein the relatively stable aerial platform provided by such a vehicle is utilized for television camera operations. For example, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Akron, Ohio, operates a fleet of "blimps" for aerial advertising purposes and also for carrying crews that televise various sporting and public interest events.
In the operation of dirigibles for TV use, winds aloft tends to cause pitch, roll and yaw motion of the vehicle and therefore, also effect camera operation as the camera operator must always compensate for vehicle motion in order to keep the camera trained on the scene below. Thus, picture quality is affected by excessive camera motion. Various camera stabilizing mounts are available and within the prior art including automated gyro mounts, and the like, all of which result in extremely sophisticated and expensive equipment that also add unwanted weight and bulk to be carried in the limited area of the vehicle control cabin.
It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide an assembly for gravity stabilizing an aerial camera such as to substantially limit the affects of vehicle motion on camera operation.
Another object of the invention is to include the camera operator in a gravity stabilized assembly in conjunction with a stabilized camera such that both camera and operator motion are essentially independent of changes in vehicle attitude while aloft.
A further object of the invention is to provide an assembly that is effective in isolating both camera and operator and which is relatively inexpensive to assemble, extremely unsophisticated and easily maintained while adding a minimum of excess weight to the vehicle.
Accordingly, the beforementioned and related objects of the invention are accomplished in an assembly for gravity stabilizing a camera and its operator from vehicle attitude changes while aloft comprising in combination: a camera mounting frame assembly; a universal assembly that mounts the camera frame assembly to provide front-to-rear, side-to-side, and rotational motion to the camera mounting frame; an operator mounting assembly to provide front-to-rear and side-to-side motion to the operator; and means interconnecting the camera frame assembly and the operator mounting assembly to effect an integrally combined camera/operator assembly that is gravity stabilized irrespective of the motions of the airborne vehicle.